Dozens of firefighters tackle blaze at Jenners building in Edinburgh

Dozens of firefighters are tackling a blaze at the Jenners building in Edinburgh.

The Scottish fire and rescue service said it was called to the fire at the former department store at 11.29am.

The building was found “well alight” and 10 fire appliances were sent to the scene on Rose Street in the city centre. No casualties have been reported and some streets in the area have been closed.

A Scottish fire and rescue service spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 11.29am on Monday 23 January to reports of a building fire at Rose Street, Edinburgh.

“Operations control immediately mobilised two appliances to the scene and, on arrival, firefighters found a building well alight. A further eight appliances, including a high-reach, were mobilised and crews remain on scene as they work to extinguish the fire. No casualties have been reported.”

Jenners department store, which closed in 2021. Photograph: Jane Barlow/PA

Marks & Spencer and the Mercure hotel, in Princes Street, have been closed as firefighters work in the neighbouring former department store, which closed in 2021, and some buildings have been evacuated.

“I work at one of the businesses nearby and I nipped out for lunch and tried to get in but we have been evacuated,” one worker said. “I was aware of the sirens and it was one of my team that said Jenners was on fire.

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“The building’s beautiful. It’s such a beautiful piece of architecture, it’s such a shame, especially with it shutting down and lying kind of empty.”